New trade body to be created by government

The government has revealed its intention to create a new trade authority, termed the UK Trade Remedies Organisation, ahead of Britain’s departure from the EU in 2019.

The UK Trade Remedies Organisation will help to combat incidents of unfair trade that may occur once Brexit has taken place.

It will also build upon the UK’s ‘capability and capacity’ to investigate complaints in relation to unfair competition, and will allow the UK to establish its own trade rules.

The government is looking to recruit around 130 employees, and intends to have the new organisation up and running by October 2018.

Commenting on the news, Jill Rutter, Programme Director at the Institute for Government (IfG), said: ‘The government needs to prepare for Brexit, and that includes being able to run our own system of trade defence.

‘The government’s current policy is to leave the single market and the customs union and has to be ready for leaving with no deal. So this is a sensible part of that contingency planning.’